There’s no doubt that only the creme of the crop make it to the NBA. The Association features nothing but the greatest talents on Earth, and even the 15th man on a roster would be a star somewhere else.
But that doesn’t mean that the NBA is the only good league in basketball. We’ve seen European stars take the NBA by storm year in and year out, and also dominate in FIBA international competitions.
So, with some veterans taking theirtalents overseas to stay in shape while they hope to get another chance in the league, it’s been clear that several of them could still play in the NBA. Let’s take a look at them.
NBA Rumors: 3 Former Stars Playing Overseas That Could Make A Comeback
3. Eric Bledsoe
Eric Bledsoe – Getty Images
Eric Bledsoe had fallen out of grace in the NBA, so he took his talents to the CBA’s Shanghai Sharks. He’s dominated almost at will there, even posting a 50+ point performance and getting his confidence back.
While not much of a shooter, Bledsoe is one of the strongest, most athletic point guards in the league. He could get another shot with point-guard-needy teams looking to add another scoring punch off the bench.
2. Jeremy Lin
Jeremy Lin – Getty Images
While it’s safe to say that Jeremy Lin will never live up to that ‘Linsanity’ hype, we can all agree that the NBA has been slightly unfair to him. He’s better than several backup point guards in the league right now.
Lin claims he hasn’t given up on his NBA dream despite being out of the league for quite some time now. He’s an outstanding shooter, and a solid playmaker who doesn’t make a lot of mistakes.
1. Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard – Getty Images
Dwight Howard isn’t the perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate he used to be. Once considered the best center on the planet, he wasn’t signed by any team and had to settle for an offer in Taiwan.
But Howard seems to be in the best physical shape of his career. He’s still one of the greatest rebounders and rim protectors in NBA history, so there’s no reason to think he couldn’t be efficient in 15 minutes off the bench.